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DfE autism training rolls out this term

One-day, government-funded training is being offered to help staff support young people with autism as they move from school to college.

Research by charity Ambitious About Autism shows that fewer than one in four young people with the condition continue their education beyond school.

In a bid to reverse this trend, the Department for Education (DfE) has put forward £240,000 to commission Ambitious About Autism to run the training courses, which will now take place during the autumn and spring terms across all nine regions in England.

The course is based on the charity's Finished at School programme which ran from 2013 to 2015 and focused on helping students with autism to access further education and training beyond school.

The training has been designed to help colleges fulfil the requirements of Children and Families Act and the revised SEND Code of Practice. It will also focus on parental engagement and collaboration.

The sessions are open to all further education college staff, sixth form college staff, secondary school SENCOs and local authority transition leads. While focused on autism, the sessions should also be relevant to other SEN and disabilities.

Jolanta Lasota, chief executive of Ambitious About Autism, said: "It is vital that young people with autism are given the same opportunities as their peers. With the right support, they can make successful and worthwhile transitions to college, which is crucial to opening up doors to employment and preparing for adulthood."

Edward Timpson, minister for children and families, added: "It's essential that young people with autism are supported in the move from school to further education, and eventually into work, to ensure they develop the best skills to help them reach their full potential."

The course costs £20 per place and staff can book via http://bit.ly/1NYbziK